Month: December 2025

I haven’t done all that much sculpting this year, just wasn’t feeling it. I made a ninja turtle bust along with my daughter, but it came out looking like a Jim Henson knock-off type abomination, so I don’t much care for that particular item. I had plans to make some new monsters from scratch for the fair, but then the summer got away from me so I resorted to painting an old epoxy sculpt from the pandemic era. So here we are with what was to be an enormously fat goblin King that is also wasting away in random spots due to some unknown illness. It has stalled out and been in the early stages for months, plural. Maybe five or more now that we are into December. Also it’s being made in clay so I won’t be painting it, nor can I use it in next year’s fair either. So ha!

I suspect much of what I have currently done will be hidden by chain mail, armour playing, fabrics & furs. So I really shouldn’t labour over the physique all that much. I just want it to be good, so I move slowly at first. Eventually (like always) I will reach a tipping point and then sprint to the end just to have it done, and off my mind. Once I get to that point I never, ever go back to fix errors of any sort. It’s a bad habit.

Not much going down at the farm today. No sawing or random clean up to do today. I don’t even know where the front end loader went. I did not see it while walking the dog. Plus I forgot my work gloves at home, so 8 couldn’t have done much bare handed in the snow covered wood piles when it’s minus five or colder depending on wind direction. A slow moving morning when compared to how productive yesterday morning was. I ebb, and I flow.

Tonight (should there be no more active snow fall) my youngest and I should make our way over to the climbing gym for a quick walk scaling session. I enjoy it a great deal. I know the kids like it, I do not know if they like it as much as I do. But we’ve done it for more than a year now (mostly — a few gaps with summer break, and taking November off) and we continue to challenge ourselves, and get stronger. Won’t be long before they leave me in the dust and hit the 5.10’s or above consistently while I putter away on the 5.8’s, and 5.9’s, trying to slim down enough weight wise so that my grip strength is maximized for the climbs I aspire to do. Right now I am too puffy for what my grip strength can hold for any amount of time. If I can get closer to 175 lbs. Then I’d be in better shape, both physically, and in regards to my climbing holds. Working towards it.

Honestly though, without hitting up a real weight room, and totally reworking what I eat on a regular basis, it’s all just wishes, and dreams at this point. The dog walking, wood splitting, chainsawing is helping, but not enough to drop more than 1 or 2 pounds total. I’m a pear. I see it. My waist line is that of a spare tire. Climbing is helping to curb the worst of my middle aged spread. Might need to bump it up to three times per week before I start to see any noticeable improvement of skill, or weight reduction.

In other news I did make a couple items in the wood shop this year. And not just tidying up the garage, and erecting my shelves! I made a stand for my APC battery pack that regulates current for both computers, router, and my guitar amp(s). Plus I made a display for my eldest daughter’s Taekwondo belts. She is due to get another promotion soon. Another year or two and the whole display will be totally full. On her way to a black belt! Once she reaches her Red belt she can attempt the hardcore mode of sparring at tournaments. I do not think she wants to do that, but the option is there. I also made a utensil organizer/holder for the kitchen because the glass stein we were using was too small. We got some additional items for Christmas last year that wouldn’t fit. Now we have a nice Walnut item to hold everything.

Which reminds me, I never did find the meat thermometer I had bought last year, or the year before. A black fold up digital thermometer for steaks, and meats, and such. Poof! Gone. Into the wind. I have searched high and low for it. Not even a whiff of where it might have gotten to. Oh well. I only BBQ here at home once or twice per year. I run the grill at the cottage, or my inlaws home far more often.

I have some quick work items to do, and then I need to think about Christmas shopping some more. Do I want to head over to a mall, or order a few items from on-line and be done with it? Choices, choices…

Even though we have many birthdays to celebrate this month, including my eldest brother, my eldest daughter, my other brother in law, and my sister in law (different couples of opposite sides of the family), and my best friend, I have decided to get a jump on Christmas. Today I got my inlaws, and BIL completed. Plus I picked up some sparkling wine for Christmas breakfast mixed drinks. I just need some Welches grape juice and that treat is all set to go off for the holidays! BAM!

I picked up stocking stuffers for the whole family and blew my budget completely out of the water. I think their climbing passes/memberships might have to be Christmas gifts at this point. But all four of us have lots for our stockings, nobody’s left out. “Santa” brings the daily things we need, like tooth brushes, tooth paste, hair ties, bubble bath, shampoos & conditioners, lip chap sticks, vitamins, detangler sprays. Occasionally a family board game for us all to play (of which I bought two). So that stuff is purchased and awaiting a wrapping session. Which 8 might do on Saturday when the girls go see Shrek as a live performance downtown. I can fire up Scrooged, or Elf on the tv, and wrap gifts like a champ. Drinks in hand, and get those items out of my hair.

I will need to send something to my parents, and my brothers kids, and then figure out what to do about my own children. I have twenty three days to sort it all out! Nice.

So at the farm we cleaned up Pile Two completely. All of the waste wood that I could not split got thrown into the bucket of the front end loader, and dumped in the garden wood lot. So now the fence line is clear, and the yard is open again. There are a few bits of split wood left over, but I guess I could try to stack it all on a pallet to get it off the ground, and away from the side doors of the barn. I forgot my boots so no chainsawing today. Just  heaving waste wood onto the loader as exercise this morning. Luckily the sun was out and it didn’t feel much like the minus eight the car said that it was. Not windy. So that helps a great deal.

I brought almost all of my chainsaw gear, all except the boots. Kind of important with how the log rounds fall and land on, or near my feet. I do not fancy any more broken toes. I’ve broken two over the course of my life, in quick succession, and I’d rather not break anything else if I can help it. Oh well. There is lots there to do, and waiting a few days in-between won’t kill me. Or send the piles to waste. I’m doing more in these three piles over the last three months than anybody else has done in a number of years. I’m good.

But I did go to Home Depot for bar oil, and a new smaller bladed shovel. I went to the LCBO for booze for gifts. I went to Walmart for stocking stuffers too. Busy, and productive day. Shall I also tackle the LOL Doll piles, and you box today!?! No idea. Maybe tomorrow.

I’ve just learned my October invoice for one company was never logged, so no payment for that coming until mid to late December now. Maybe it’ll get paid along with my November invoice for an added bonus! One can hope. I should start to see invoices get paid for jobs from this year this month. I have had to chase another company to pay stuff from August. I hate chasing money, it is far less enjoyable than doing the design work. But getting paid is very, very important. I can’t keep working with no funds to support my business expenses for all these product subscriptions we have now!

Happy Monday afternoon to you all.